The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

These letters cover the years 1911-1929. They are addressed to Maurice E. Fox, a European agent for Edison storage batteries, first in Russia and later in Britain and on the Continent, who eventually formed his own distribution business. The correspondents include Edison company officials Miller Reese Hutchison, Stephen B. Mambert, and James Millar. Many of the letters are replies to reports evidently filed by Fox. Subjects discussed in the documents include Edison's plans for the storage battery business; the provision of batteries for British submarines during World War I; and Hutchison's criticisms of John F. Monnot, managing director of Edison Accumulators Ltd.

The letters were donated to the Thomas A. Edison Papers in 2000 by the granddaughter of Maurice Fox. All items containing substantive references to Edison have been selected. Letters by Hutchison and Miller unrelated to Edison have not been selected. Also unselected are several documents by Fox: a 1930 letter to Charles Edison enclosing a 6-page report on the new rapid-charging alkaline train battery invented by James J. Drumm in Ireland; and a 1939 letter about sales of miners' lamps in Britain.